The present invention is directed generally to a magnetic assembly and, more particularly, to a magnetic assembly for mounting to a circuit having lead ends supporting the assembly.
Magnetic assemblies are employed to perform a wide range of functions in various electronic devices. Such functions may include, but are not limited to, using the assembly as an inductor, for energy storage, as a choke coil, as an inverter, as transformers to change voltage level, as well as various other functions known in the art. Magnetic assemblies thus often include a magnetic core made of a ferrite material that is wound with a conductive coil and positioned on top of or below a circuit board.
Because of the desire to miniaturize electronic components, it is often desirous to maximize the current density and/or power density of such magnetic assemblies. To achieve a high current density and/or power density, conventional assemblies are typically wound with as much wire as possible in as small a space as possible. Despite such techniques, magnetic assemblies often consume a substantial amount of surface area on a circuit board and height above the circuit board, especially in comparison with other circuit components. Thus, while transistors, diodes, capacitors and resistors have been miniaturized to microscopic levels, magnetic assemblies generally remain bulky as they have been traditionally mounted either horizontally or vertically on circuit boards with as much wire wound on the core as possible.
Size limitations of conventional inductors are most apparent in power circuit applications such as AC-DC and DC-DC power converters. These power converters are generally bulky due to the spacious footprint required, high profile and high thermal resistances of the magnetic assemblies. Furthermore, inductors are challenged in that they have a limited ability to transfer heat from the core and windings to the device case or heat sink. This further reduces the amount of surface area available for other circuit components as a large surface area is required of the core for an efficient dissipation of heat. Tradeoff between coil wire size and core surface area is required for effective heat dissipation.
Thus, there exists a need for an improved magnetic assembly that overcomes the limitations, shortcomings, and disadvantages of the prior art.